15 Bizarre Fashion Trends You Won't Believe Once Existed

12. Hobble Skirts

Reign: 1910 - 1914 The 1910's were a steppingstone in women's fashion: it was a time when women stepped out wearing less than 700 layers (or cages around their backsides) and suddenly the world was reminded that women did have legs, ankles and bums underneath their petticoats. The trend helped a lot of women be more mobile and it became the ultimate fashion statement that told men they were no longer being held captive and were free to do what they wanted. Naturally, the men of the world were outraged. Ministers swore that God would smite women who wore the skirts and more than just a few journalists mocked it to death. Alas, the hobble skirt didn't reign for long and died out during World War I, when restricted ankles were too much of a hassle when hard work was needed in a damaged world, but it did its job for a while, and even if it was a little uncomfortable to walk around shackled, it was a lot better than a petticoat.